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Defeating the Carpet Monster
salemguy
#476
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Oregon, United States
Member Since: March 17, 2017
entire network: 33 Posts
KitMaker Network: 6 Posts
Posted: Tuesday, June 13, 2017 - 03:26 AM UTC
So I'm just getting back into modeling and have setup an office in my basement. The paint on the floor dates back to the late 60s and has a period appropriate motif (random colors and patterns).

I'm having a terrible problem loosing parts. I've ended up finding about 50% of the parts so far, but I've wasted so much time on my knees in the concrete with a flashlight. And I'm way too old for that... uh... stuff.

So does anyone have a solution to dropping parts? I know it will happen again but I want to try and minimize the impact (and recover the part of course!)

Does anyone else have a similar problem? How did/do you resolve it?

I was thinking of putting something on the floor but now I wonder if an apron with Velcro (to attach to the underside of my desk) might work best?

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance,

Brad.
ACESES5
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Indiana, United States
Member Since: April 04, 2010
entire network: 71 Posts
KitMaker Network: 44 Posts
Posted: Tuesday, June 13, 2017 - 04:57 AM UTC
I took a large piece of cloth had it sowed all the way around so it wouldn't fray on the edges. Make it big enough to cover your lap when your sitting. Then put some Velcro on one side then put the other piece of Velcro one the edge of your work bench.Then fasten the cloth piece to the work bench edge then lay it in your lap, drop a small piece, it catches it, No more crawling on floor. Try this, it really works. ACESES5
SSGToms
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Connecticut, United States
Member Since: April 02, 2005
entire network: 3,608 Posts
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Posted: Tuesday, June 13, 2017 - 08:44 AM UTC
If you lose a part to the Carpet Monster and simply can't find it, here's what to do. Source a piece of stocking or panty hose from your SO. Rubber band it over the end of the vacuum hose. Sweep the vacuum everywhere, and you'll find the part stuck to the stocking on the end of the hose.
PanzerKarl
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England - North West, United Kingdom
Member Since: April 20, 2004
entire network: 2,439 Posts
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Posted: Tuesday, June 13, 2017 - 03:04 PM UTC
I swear there is a Black hole somewhere in space that sucks up all your lost model parts

Beware of the plastic triangle.
Scarred
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Washington, United States
Member Since: March 11, 2016
entire network: 1,792 Posts
KitMaker Network: 482 Posts
Posted: Tuesday, June 13, 2017 - 07:20 PM UTC

Quoted Text

If you lose a part to the Carpet Monster and simply can't find it, here's what to do. Source a piece of stocking or panty hose from your SO. Rubber band it over the end of the vacuum hose. Sweep the vacuum everywhere, and you'll find the part stuck to the stocking on the end of the hose.


This works great with my shop vac but I also have a four footed plastic stealing freak so if I can't find the part I'll sit back and watch him for a while. He'll eventually find it and try to make off with it but I'll catch him before he can get far.
Zhivago
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Massachusetts, United States
Member Since: December 02, 2014
entire network: 109 Posts
KitMaker Network: 8 Posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 14, 2017 - 06:45 PM UTC
I have an old apron that loops around my neck. I sewed Velcro tabs on either side at the bottom and their mates are secured to the table. So when I remember to wear it, I don't lose anything...when I remember to wear it.
salemguy
#476
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Oregon, United States
Member Since: March 17, 2017
entire network: 33 Posts
KitMaker Network: 6 Posts
Posted: Thursday, June 15, 2017 - 03:14 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I have an old apron that loops around my neck. I sewed Velcro tabs on either side at the bottom and their mates are secured to the table. So when I remember to wear it, I don't lose anything...when I remember to wear it.


This is exactly what I was thinking of... sort of a combination of Karl's and Mark's suggestions.

I'd forgotten Matthew's trick of panty hose over the shop vac hose (which is ironic given I keep stealing the wife's old panty hose just for model purposes - I swear! I was just thinking of using it to filter paint but this is a great use)

And Patrick... that must make modeling time very interesting. My wife and I foster cats and right now have 5 house cats (4 are fosters that never left) and 4 actual fosters.

If I don't close my office door I'll find footprints on my desk and chewed/missing plastic (I swear they stole a gas sensor and a microSD card a few months ago).

Thanks to all for the suggestions.

Regards,

Brad.
Scarred
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Washington, United States
Member Since: March 11, 2016
entire network: 1,792 Posts
KitMaker Network: 482 Posts
Posted: Thursday, June 15, 2017 - 12:47 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I have an old apron that loops around my neck. I sewed Velcro tabs on either side at the bottom and their mates are secured to the table. So when I remember to wear it, I don't lose anything...when I remember to wear it.


This is exactly what I was thinking of... sort of a combination of Karl's and Mark's suggestions.

I'd forgotten Matthew's trick of panty hose over the shop vac hose (which is ironic given I keep stealing the wife's old panty hose just for model purposes - I swear! I was just thinking of using it to filter paint but this is a great use)

And Patrick... that must make modeling time very interesting. My wife and I foster cats and right now have 5 house cats (4 are fosters that never left) and 4 actual fosters.

If I don't close my office door I'll find footprints on my desk and chewed/missing plastic (I swear they stole a gas sensor and a microSD card a few months ago).

Thanks to all for the suggestions.

Regards,

Brad.


He's learned to stay off the hobby desks thanks to a squirt bottle of water. He's eaten 3 sets of hand grips for my mountain bike, a shift lever for said bike, 2 bike tires, a number of mice (not the four footed kind) various computer cables and the hand grip on a brand new weed eater that was out of the box for less than 10 minutes. Now I use his talents to find dropped parts. I've found all the parts I've dropped but couldn't get with the vacuum because of him. Except for the props on my quad copter. Those are MIA.
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